I was serving as a youth pastor in Michigan for almost ten years. I loved every single moment of it. In 2010, I felt God’s hand pushing me to leave behind our 6-year-old youth ministry and church family near the campus of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI for a new youth and college ministry in west Michigan.

When I left, I had no idea that He would ever ask me to go back.

I’ve spent the last several months in prayer as I have pursued what God’s plan for my family could possibly be at this stage in my life. I opened myself up to God’s will and was willing to go ANYWHERE He called me to go. ANYTHING He asked me to do. It was exciting! It was scary! I sent out applications to places I never thought I would want to live. I pursued lead pastor positions, church plants, youth ministry…and with each application sent and each interview, I prayed that God would open the right door and (gently) close the rest. Out of the blue, I received a call asking me if I might be interested in Chi Alpha. Not just any Chi Alpha, but leading the Chi Alpha group at Central Michigan University, a campus that has been near and dear to my heart for many years. I decided to follow up, thinking, “This is such a long shot…surely this isn’t going to happen…”

But God has plans. And now, here I am, with big, God-given dreams for a campus and a community, eagerly anticipating a move back home in 2014.

Central Michigan University is the third largest campus in Michigan, and one of the top 100 in the United States. This fall, they are anticipating approximately 4,000 incoming freshman. 1,000 transfer students. 800 international students on campus. These students are desperately seeking connections on campus. They want friendship, they want a place to belong. Some of these students grew up in the church and aren’t sure they want it in their life anymore. Some of these students have never been in church a day in their lives. They all need a group on campus who will share with them the love of Jesus.